Gods
If a mortal steps into an established portfolio (like Midnight "donning the mask of Mystra"), they immediately acquire godly power - - though not necessarily either the knowledge or the wisdom of how to use it properly, or the consequences of their portfolios, existing relationships, and actions - - and will rise and fall depending on what they do and how this affects the amount of worship they receive. If no mortals know about the Mystra "switch," there's unlikely to be much change in worship of Mystra until godly events or statements (either by Mystra or her rivals) change how she's viewed by worshippers. Please always bear in mind that everyone sane on Faerûn believes in the existence of all the gods, "knowing" them ALL to be real. Worship is the sum total of the prayers, offerings, deeds, and behaviour mortals exhibit when venerating one god over others (and a particular mortal may well daily pray to several gods for different reasons: human sailors, for example, pray to Umberlee, Talos, Beshaba, Silvanus, and Shar for appeasement (Umberlee that currents, waves, and sea winds drown no one and sink not the ship, Talos that no storms wreck, damage, or drive astray the ship, Beshaba that no accidents nor ill luck befall on the voyage, Silvanus that the forces of nature such as gales, tides, and whirlpools be "not wild" during their voyage, Shar that no one be lost at sea), Valkur for success for the ship, all hands, and the voyage, Tymora for good luck, Selûne for unerring navigation, Shaundakul for navigation and safe voyaging, Gond to keep their ship strong and true, Gwaeron Windstrom if they're going to be trying to find another vessel or hunt down pirates, Helm if they're going to be doing any exploring, Kossuth to keep away fires aboard while at sea, Oghma that the charts be true (and to guide their hands and measurements if they'll be drawing new charts of their own at any point during the voyage), Akadi that the ship make good speed and the airs be not foul or becalmed, Auril that cold and ice harm no sailor nor the ship, Istishia that the water not eat away the timbers of the ship nor poison sailors or cargo, Waukeen that the voyage be prosperous (or Garagos if the voyage is a raid, that plunder be plentiful, or destruction visited upon the foe be devastating), Ulutiu that icebergs not bedevil the ship, and even Grumbar (that whatever happens to the ship, sailors may come safe again to land). this subject is touched on briefly in the just-published WotC D&D sourcebook STORMWRACK. Page 48, for example, displays the symbols of sea deities. So there's constant worship going on for almost every divine being, rumored-to-be-divine being, half-forgotten and misremembered godlings... and even slain divine beings linger on as demigods or divine sparks that can "come back" if the right conditions occur. It's hard to fall from the ranks of demigodhood, once attained: one simply becomes a weaker demigod. Mortals in the Realms are always whispering prayers to "forgotten" gods, in hopes that the grateful deity will give them a lot of aid, swiftly, either out of eagerness to have a new mortal worshipper to command, or simply because they hear and heed the prayer (where a more popular deity may miss or have scant regard for that one prayer, amid the deafening chorus of so many). If a mortal comes suddenly to the attention of other mortals as someone "divine" (miracles happen at their behest; of course, sometimes this is just a very powerful wizard or sorcerer trying to fool people), and very swiftly receives a LOT of worship from many beings, they'll soar in divine rank and power accordingly. So, yes, an individual could conceivably go from mortal adventurer, say, to godhood overnight. It's just EXTREMELY unlikely to happen - - communications (so that a lot of people hear of an event or a "special" person quickly) are poor, and unless very unhappy with their current lot, people tend to dislike and resist change (and so cling to the gods they know, trusting in established, familiar faiths who have priests they see at work around them every day). In most cases it's impossible to tell if an encountered NPC is a demigod or a quasideity, and in a good "heavy roleplaying" campaign it can be difficult even for the player of a PC to know if their PC is just a powerful mortal, quasideity, or demigod. After all, if you can do something miraculous, momentarily and unpredictably or even at will, is it really you? Or an unseen deity helping you? The usual "test" for onlookers is: does a slain and badly butchered, burned to ashes, or otherwise "really gone" creature "come back from the dead" by itself, repeatedly? If so, they'll probably regard that creature as "divine" (unless they can clearly see that it's a troll, undead of a particular sort, or other known-to-regenerate creature) - - even though the coming back to life may again be the work of a watching deity, or something as simple as a ring of regeneration. In most cases, however, creatures slowly win power as their worship slowly grows, changing as their faith "catches on" in particular cities or regions, or among particular groups, according to their own deeds (or reputed deeds) or aid (or reputed aid) they've rendered mortals. So, yes, the norm is probably a lot of quasideities, and demigods, with "instant lesser gods" being a great rarity. If you've read Realmslore from the beginning, however, you can see that the Realms has been caught up in a time of great change, and deities have appeared, altered greatly, and disappeared from the 1st edition "old gray box" until the recent FAITHS & PANTHEONS. More ame Title/Status Spheres of Influence Orgiana Goddess of Darkness Darkness, women, sadism Inis The Dancer Dance, pleasure, seduction Kesh’ta’kai Master of Signs Writing, symbols, demons Andaras Lord of Cats Cats Z’taar Lord of Destruction Combat, war, destruction Scalu Bringer of Night Night, nightmares Moralis God of Love and Pain Love, pain, masochism Klysus God of Death, Lizard God Death, reptiles Swirl divider The Night of the Third Moon There is no mistaking the Night of the Third Moon. Dark cults worship Charón. They consider the zenith to be a time of particular importance, a time when servants of the Unlife are able to leave their home on Charón and come to the Shadow World. Orgiana Goddess of Darkness, Orgiana escaped a purge of Dark demigods in southern Jaiman during the Wars of Dominion. She alone escaped back to Charón. She has been rebuilding her power and prepares for the day when she will return to the Shadow World. Cruel beyond belief, she delights in pain. She has a particular loathing for men, and her cults are most frequently made up of females who torture and kill the males of their species. Inis The Dancer is a lovely woman with fair skin—and four arms. She vies with Moralis for the attentions of the weak, seducing those who cannot control their lusts. Cults of Inis are invariably devoted to youth, beauty… and the carnal pleasures. This includes any number of perversions, most of them unspeakable. Her servants inflitrate cultures and bring about their downfall through the violence brought about by vanity, jealousy and lust. Inis is also a warrior, a formidable opponent in combat, wielding four curved knives with her four arms in a whirling dance of death. Kesh’ta’kai Kesh’ta’kai is the master of signs and symbols. The magic of words and letters is known better by him than perhaps any entity in the Shadow World milieu. This Dark God is relatively reclusive and has no desire to dominate others. In fact, he (along with Andaras) is in some ways not what one could consider ‘evil.’ He does hate the Lords of Orhan and the Loremasters—and nearly slew one of the Masters of Emer an age ago—but has little wish to dominate the peoples of Kulthea. But in some ways he is still the most dangerous of the Dark Gods. His followers are scholarly men and women, devoted to learning and copying ancient texts, and to mastering the arcane arts. Among these they count the mastering of Demons and the control of Gates and Portals. Unfortunately, their experimenting disrupts the Essænce balance and is causing constantly increasing access to the Shadow World by more unpleasant creatures. Andaras The Lord of Cats is an interesting character, being less singleminded than some of his brethren. He is lord of numerous cat cults on Kulthea, and has a certain twisted sense of humor when dealing with his minions or their foes. Moralis’ followers differ from Inis’ in that they are more selfobsessed and masochistic. Their orgies end with many of them dead. Z’taar Z’taar is one of the more terrifying Dark Gods, partly because he seems almost mindless in his pursuit of followers and the destruction of his enemies. Z’taar’s cults are always oriented towards warfare and dominating less martial cultures. Scalu The bringer of Night (and nightmares), Scalû has a particularly terrifying visage, if only because of its strange fusion. Though he may appear as a handsome human, Scalû’s normal form is that of a ten foot tall man with the head of a black hyena. Scalû is frequently at odds with Reaan, the Lord of Orhan who also sees the Night as his realm and dreams as his playground. Moralis The self-described ‘God of Love’ is one of the more twisted of the Dark Gods. He visits Kulthea to seduce young women and men, and once he has them in his thrall, he takes them to his palace in the caverns of Charón where he keeps them as slaves. He abuses them in a perversion of love, leaving them emotionally as well as physically battered, yet they are so taken with him that they fight for the opportunity to be with him. His harem is large but the membership turns over rather frequently. Moralis’ followers differ from Inis’ in that they are more selfobsessed and masochistic. Their orgies end with many of them dead. Klysus The lizard-god is the God of Death, enemy of Eissa (a Lady of Orhan). While she is the Goddess of Death as well, hers is a clean ending, with the release of the soul. Klysus’ death is a tortured sacrifice, where he drinks the blood and devours the very spirit of the dead. He is the Soul-taker. Klysus has a continuous thirst for victims and is one of the more frequent visitors to Kulthea to partake ‘personally.’ One of his most favoured groups of followers is the Lankan Empire in Tai-Emer. Kuor King of the Gods/Husband of Valris Rulership, justice Valris Goddess of Learning/Wife of Kuor Learning, wisdom, magic Reann God of the Night Night, dreams, moon Eissa Goddess of Death Death, rebirth, Winter Phaon God of the Sun/Husband of Oriana Sun, Summer, fatherhood, virilty Oriana Goddess of Love/Wife of Phaon Love, fertility, Spring Cay God of Strength Strength, athleticism, combat Iloura Goddess of the Earth/Wife of Iorak Earth, harvest, Autumn, forests Shaal God of the Sea Sea, storms, Fall Jaysek God of Visual Art/Twin of Kieron Visual Art, poetry, languages Kieron God of Performing Art/Twin of Jaysek Performing Art, music, plays Teris Messenger of the Gods Birds, flight, travel Iorak Smith of the Gods/Husband of Iloura Smithing/crafting Swirl divider Kuor Kuor is King of the gods and ruler of Orhan. He can control the weather on Kulthea and reputedly is master of the Flows of Essænce. He presides over the Conclave of Orhan: the gathering of the Lords to debate a major issue. Valris Wife of Kuor and goddess of learning and wisdom, Valris is patron of scholars and masters of thought. She favors scholarly clerics and monastic groups; Astrologers also often follow her. Mentalists revere her though of course they do not channel power directly from her—they tap their own ‘Essænce’. Reann God of the Night, he is master of sleep and dreams, sending visions to his followers. The night is his domain, though one which is tainted by the evils of the Unlife. As a result, Reaan has faced the terror of the Unlife more than any other Lord. Legend holds that he often travels to the Shadow World, hunting evil beasts through the night astride his mighty steed: a white Unicorn with luminous silver horn. He is feared by servants of the Unlife more than any other Lord. Riding through dark forests, a misty, shimmering presence in the night, his endless quest is to save the helpless from the fangs and claws of the evil demonic creatures of evil. For worshipers: Additional details on Reann Eissa Goddess of Death/Rebirth (and Winter), she is the sister of Reann. Eissa is the deity appealed to when a religious ‘Lifegiving’ is administered. She guards the Gates of Oblivion and it is her decision whether a soul is returned—even Kuor will not overrule her decision. Those who follow Eissa believe that the soul lives forever, though if the body is destroyed or fails due to age, the soul passes beyond the gates into another state of being. The worst fate is if the soul itself is somehow destroyed, something which can only happen to someone who falls victim to one of the Unlife’s cruel servants. Phaon God of the Sun (and summer), Phaon rides a great winged horse with flaming mane and tail. Phaon was once patron of the Cloudlords of Tanara; he is often considered the god of ‘fatherhood’ in that, as husband of Oriana (the Earth-goddess) and god of the Sun, he represents the masculine aspect of fertility. He has fathered numberless children on Kulthea. Oriana Goddess of Love and Fertility (and Spring), Oriana is a beauty with golden hair and violet eyes. She is the wife of Phaon, and flies beside her husband on golden wings made for her by Iorak. Called upon to aid in many wedding ceremonies, her blessing promises many healthy children, and an undying mutual love. She is called upon often, but rarely bestows her full blessing. She also has a more sensual side, playful and lustful. The worst fate is if the soul itself is somehow destroyed, something which can only happen to someone who falls victim to one of the Unlife’s cruel servants. Cay Lord of physical strength and athletic prowess, Cay is considered most handsome of the gods (with the exception of the twins). His favored weapon is a spear. Patron of athletic games, Cay is also an infamous seducer, having fathered countless children across Kulthea. Iloura Goddess of the Earth (and the Harvest/Autumn), she is the mistress of growing things, of plants and animals of the lands. Many believe that she frequently appears on Kulthea in the form of a deer or other fleet-footed animal. Harvest festivals are the time she is most honored, and many peoples of the Shadow World give thanks to her for bountiful returns. Her husband is Iorak the Smith. Shaal God of the sea (and of Fall). Shaal is also called ‘The Destroyer’ by some, in association with the erosion of the sea and sea storms. Shaal is moody and rarely is seen in his human form, instead assuming the shape of a Merman, whale or great dolphin. Ruthless and unsympathetic to all but sea beasts and peoples, he cares little about events on the land. Jaysek Jaysek is god of Visual Art and Magic, twin brother of Kieron —and like his brother, he is lean and beautiful. Very serious and at times sullen, he occasionally takes to writing morbid poetry. He wears black or grey garments, and has been seen on the Shadow World astride a dark horse, wearing a black, hooded cloak and speaking dark prophesies (though he is not the Nameless One). Jaysek composed (or has claimed to compose) many of Kulthea’s alphabets. He is the patron of Illusionists, Mystics, and Seers. Kieron God of festivals, including the performing arts (music, plays, some poetry). He plays a stringed instrument called the Quindera and has a hypnotic singing voice. He is called upon to bless wine and ale, and to aid in recovery from hangovers. Teris Messenger of the gods, he appears as a beautiful, androgynous youth in his middle teens. He carries a short staff which records the messages to be delivered. Teris is the patron of one of the Navigator Guilds (The Navigators), his name occasionally mentioned —not always in a positive way—by other Navigator guilds. Iorak. Husband of Iloura and Smith of the gods, Iorak is physically strong but not the match in combat of Cay or Kuor. elestian Deities Halea (K) “The Empress of Opulence, Queen of Pleasures and Self-fulfillment, Maker of Bargains, Guardian of the Treasure Hordes of Heaven, Enslaver of Hearts and Loins, Unchaste Lady of the Ten Forgotten Acts, Golden Temptress of the Crimson Chamber.” Halea is the amoral goddess of wealth and pleasure. She is the deity of those who seek hedonistic joy. She is a schemer who demands unswerving devotion of her adherents and loves flattery. The Halean church restricts its clergy to women; males are used as temple guards and consorts. Larani (K) “Shieldmaiden of the Worthy Cause, Guardian of Dolithor, the Unwilling Warrior, Lady of Paladins, Protector of the Brave.” Larani is the benevolent goddess of chivalry and battle, the reluctant warrior. She is the deity of those who make war in a just and honorable cause. Larani’s church is comprised of several clerical sects, each with its own fighting order and region of operation. Peoni (K) “The Restorer and Bringer of Life Renewed, Maker of Balms, Lady of Truth, Everliving Daughter of White Virtue, Guardian of the Meek, Lady of Industrious Labors and the Ripe Harvest, Confidant of Lovers, Chaste Lady of Honest Love.” Peoni is the gentle goddess of healing and agriculture. She is a forgiving deity, worshipped by many farmers, and those who use their skills to aid the meek and powerless. Peoni’s celibate priesthood is divided into two orders, one male and one female. Temples have the habit of disbursing their funds to the poor and are, consequently, always on the edge of poverty. Sarajin (K) “King of the Icy Wind, Lord of the Perilous Quest, Wielder of the Blooded Ax, Master of Frosty Climes, The Gray Slayer.” Sarajin is the amoral god of battlelust, requiring fearlessness and bravado (the code of the Ljarl) of his adherents. He loves the sport of war, and sometimes participates in human battles. He is the principal god of viking and of the Ivinians. Sarajin’s followers are informal in their religious organization. Clerical functions are performed by traditional “priestly” clans who recognize no central authority. Save-K’nor (K) “Lord of Puzzles, Conundrums and Mazes, Sage of the Gods, Lord of Jesters, Mixer of Potions, Knower of Many Things, Keeper of the Var-Hyvrak, The Lost Guide.” Save-K’nor is the god of knowledge, and the seeker of enlightenment. His adherents have no particular moral bent besides loyalty to the church, although their belief in an ordered society generally precludes evil behavior. Three sects, each stressing a different personal aspect, worship Save-K’nor. Siem (K) “Master of the Lords of Dream, Bringer of Meritorious Dreams and Blessed Forgetfulness, Lord of the Starlit and Thrice Blessed Realm, King of the Uttermost West, Master of the Sundered Ones in Exile, Spirit of the Mist, Never Changing Lord of the Azure Bowl.” Siem is the benign god of mystery, magic and dreams. He is the special deity of elves and dwarves and is sometimes considered the eldest of the gods. Siem’s followers are not organized into what can properly be termed a church. While communal worship does occur, ultimately each individual makes his own personal approach to the deity. Agrik (K) “Lord of the Four Horsemen, Master of the V’hir, Immortal Warlord of Balgashang, Breeder of Plague, Squalor, and Decay, Reasonless Reaper, Tyrant of the Foul Chamber, Knower of the Ten Thousand Ways.” Agrik is the evil god of war, the breeder of violence for its own sake, the deity of those who enjoy rapine, pillage, cruelty and destruction. His element is fire. Agrik is worshipped by more than half a dozen different clerical sects, each of which sponsors its own fighting order. The church is a hotbed of internecine strife. Morgath (K) “Tormentor of the Unlamented Dead, Master of the Principle of Evil, Lord of the Gulmorvin of the Black Pit, Wielder of the Shadow of Incarnate Evil, Wreaker of Chaos.” Morgath is the master of chaos, evil and the undead. He is a god of retribution, caring nothing for justice, and despising all things fair and noble. His clerical followers belong to the Unlife, a dour and ruthless organization, infamous for its practice of human sacrifice. Naveh (K) “Lord of the Pitch Shadows, Master of Deceit and Evil Dreams, Lord of the Last Illusion, Merchant of Death, Unseen Lifter of Lives, Trancer the Cat, Wealth’s Worry.” Naveh is perhaps the most merciless of the gods, motivated by cold implacable intelligence. A god of darkness, he is often worshipped by thieves and assassins. He is considered a doer of the impossible and a master of lies and deception. Best known as the bringer of nightmares, Naveh is associated with inexplicable and untimely death. His clerics are amazingly well disciplined, and have been known to commit suicide to prove a point. Elistriaxx The dragon goddess of the elves – Elistriaxx CE Portfolio: Madness & malevolence Elistraxx killed her rival, her brother, the dragon god Sephrinoxx, and it resulted in Elistraxx and almost all other dragons going mad – very few remain sane. Furthermore dragons can’t reproduce so the dragon race is in some sense extinct. Elistriaxx primarily have followers in the elven lands. The elves have a distinct bloodline amongst them, from which powerful sorcerers are born. In fact the elves are the only descendants of Elistriaxx, of dragons who is able to produce offspring. Both the elves and Elistriaxx is aware of this, so Eliztriaxx is strongly worshipped by the elves and in return elves are favored by the dragon godess. Krohrnak God of Evil, conquering & slaughter – Krohrnak CE Portfolio: Conquering & slaughter Krohrnak is a god worshipped mostly by the evil and intelligent beasts and monsters of the world. He is also worshipped by some of the civilized races; such as Elves, humans, half-elves and half-orcs. Those are primarily from barbarian tribes and outlawed cults living in the wilderness. Cults may form inside cities – they will eventually escape society and create a new one in the wild, where they can worship their god and make their “hit and runs” on civilized people. The god Krohrnak requires sacrifice from his worshippers if they wish to gain favour that much is established. Even normal and civilized people know this because the forest god is so feared, and there are actual examples of this happening. Krohrnak would be every villager’s worst nightmare. Not say that is what is on people’s daily minds. It is uncertain what Krohrnak is or was. Some old tales describe him as a big four-armed man, muscular as an orc, graceful as an elf with fangs, claws and fur like a beast and he has black feathered raven-like wings. Something like a four armed werewolf with wings. Krohrnak is the reason why people are afraid of leaving the safety of their cities to enter wilderness. You just don’t go into the forest. If you do you are either mad or an entire army. Tilmadiir The goddess of goodness, preservation & healing – Tilmadiir CG Tilmadiir’s followers are mainly human – she and Vaelen are the primary deities in the human lands. Tilmadiir and Vaelen is said to be brother and sister. As her portfolio states Tilmadiir basicly represents the goodness in people and she is to some degree worshipped by all neutral og good civilized cultures. The cult of Tilmadiir is represented with the most divine spell casters and it is said the paladins of Tilmadiir is the fiercest warriors that exists. As Tilmadiir and her followers exercise protection, comfort and hope to the weak – the enemies of Tilmadiir, evil, is met with swift and merciless fury. Sorcerers of the Celestial bloodline, is sometimes born in families with close relations to Tilmadiir. Typically they grow up and inherit the same look upon life as a strong follower of Tilmadiir – even though he or she might end up following a different deity. Tilmadiir and Alvah are the worst of enemies – each of them stands for each other’s opposite ideals. Resna Resna Alignment: LE Favored Weapon: Dagger-Whip Holy Symbol: A black metal spike Domains: Cold, Suffering, Courage, Magic Resna (a short blurb): The Dark Mother’s mage was a human slave girl in a small town. Using her power and body she subdued her masters as well as the whole of the town. As she heard The First, the first cleric of Mother Eva, she forced the town to love the Mother. On her death bed Mother Eva raised her to godhood and let her take charge over all magicians who submitted to the Mother as she did. Clerical Training: Magic-users of Resna wear sensual purple costumes with the holy symbol driven into the flesh of their arm never to be removed. All arcane casters of Mother Eva or considered clerics of Resna even if the have no levels in the cleric class. Her temple are large towers of arcane study to better combat magic. Everyday Life: Clerics of Resna are feared as mad killers who cast spells on and kidnap common folk for magical experimentation (and they are not always wrong) Mother Eva Mother Eva Alignment: LE Favored Weapon: Heavy or Light Mace Holy Symbol: a Cat-O-Nine Tails and Rod Crossed Domains: Healing, Dominion, Charm, Law and Protection Mother Eva (a short blurb): The Dark Mother has recently shown up to the world of Entao. She forces her worshipers or “child-slaves” to follow her every word or face deadly punishment. For those who listen however she rewards them with healing and protection from the outside world. All of the others she has ascended all gain their divinity from her, meaning they can be thrown down to mortal once more if they disobey. The Mother is very hateful of Arcane magic, save those who bind themselves the Resna. Clerical Training: Clerics of the Great Mother wear black robes trimmed with blue and silver. Each cleric wears a collar around their neck with more complex and expensive ones showing a higher position, this comes with a title. Everyday Life: Mother Eva is the savior of the people. Her temples are in every town and offer healing to any who can pay. Any place that has a temple of hers with in it is normally run by that temples clergy in truth, even if run in name by someone else It-That-Judges Alignment: LN Favored Weapon: Spiked Chain Holy Symbol: Scales Domains: Artifice, Winter, Truth and Inquisition It-That-Judges (a short blurb): It-That-Judges was a human wizard whose obsession with law and order caused her to turn away from her chaotic family and kill them. When the she was older her experiments on herself turned her into a mechanical construct to keep emotions out of its judgment. When this was complete it gave up its old name and left Entao to give its self to pure law and order, The Great Mother. Clerical Training: Clerics of the Judge all look the same. Males and females shave all hair off and break their faces to reshape them into a round shape, as well as remove all of their nails, their irises and all other anatomical differences . This process is very painful and they are trained to ignore that pain as it is human weakness. Everyday Life: The Judge is normally called upon by judges for a fair trial as well as artificers who use their magi cto create items to farther the cause of judgement. Maltus Maltus Alignment: NE Favored Weapon: Kukri Holy Symbol: A knife Through a Book Domains: Entropy, Spite, Pact And Knowledge Maltus (a short blurb): Maltus was a human Hunter who went far beyond the call of his job, by hunting and killing all arcane magic users. One day he broke into a tower of Resna, to kill and burn all of the arcane knowledge there. As he did this one of the sorcerers cast him to the domain of her goddess. Days later he was elevated to godhood, but as an underling of Resna as opposed to the Mother directly. Clerical Training: The thief clerics of Maltus all wear a single locked cuff on their right or left wrist that is sealed closed by melting the lock. They are all still attached to the temples of Resna, where to go and pilfer tombs and items to bring back and keep away from all others so only The Mother can give out arcane magic. Everyday Life: The clerics are feared as assasians sent out by Mother Eva to make problems disperser, but jokes are often made how Maltus was trick into godhood servitude by Resna. Arnia Alignment: LG Favored Weapon: Trident and Net Holy Symbol: Seahorse Domains: Luck, Water, War and Fury Arnia (a short blurb): Arnia was a Merfolk paladin who defended some of the first undersea evangelical clerics of the Dark Mother. He defended them for all his life until the Mother Goddess lifted him up as her warrior general. Clerical Training: Tactical strategy and physical strength are characteristic of the knights of Arnia, his clerics and paladins. They guard temples and impotent members of and for the church from harm, dying in battle rather than giving ground to an enemy. Yet this is tempered by helping towns they pass through keep themselves safe and even not killing one who begs for mercy. Everyday Life: The knights are looked upon with respect and love by others. When one comes to town they are treated like a king for all the good they will bring. Vernichtung Alignment: True Neutral Favored Weapon: Spiked Gauntlet Holy Symbol: A hand cut from a zombie or undead Domains: Repose, Time, Hatred and Pestilence Vernichtung (a short blurb): A farmer who kept meticulous records on his crops and never failed to feed his family, Vernichtung was plagued by dreams of failure where worms would eat him alive from the inside out. One day a wandering sorcerer came to the farm and offered a spell that would keep the crops growing forever and would allow Vernichtung to rest. The sorcerer (secretly a ghost) only required one night stay in the farm. Vernichtung agreed, despite his dreams warning him of taking the easy way out. As morning came his daughter was smiling evilly as she killed her mother. Vernichtung looked outside to see the dead rising to care for his crops, but the crops withered in the presence of the negative energy. Vernichtung ran from the place and took to the bottle, seeking to destroy his mind and body and to hide from the present. Eventually another dream comes to him and his redemption is shown in the form of the Hunters. He becomes a Hunter and slays undead, foolishly risking his own life over and over again trying to die in battle, but no matter the odds he emerges victorious. Upon reaching his 90th year he returns to his home and slays his bewitched daughter, the ghost sorcerer and all of its undead minions. He destroys the crops and salts the land, burning the forest around it. After he completes this he lies down and returns to his bottle, Mother Eva raises him to godhood out of admiration for his commitment to become master death and the self-hatred that he possesses. He becomes a hateful god of destruction who uses his followers to control wanton growth and to prevent laziness. Balance is his only purpose now. Clerical Training: Clerics have their dominant hand affected by zombification and must wear a spiked gauntlet over it. They carry small pouches of sand and salt with them at all times. They must destroy the undead and any who attempt to violate the nature of life and death or be slain themselves. A strict quota must be met each month or they are punished by being infected with disease to harden them to the truth of the world and its mortality. Everyday Life: Only the most hopeless of souls seek out the path of Vernichtung. They live modestly in groups and venture out only to destroy the undead and to control growth that seems to rampant or potentially destructive to other things around it. They do not have friends or family and communication with other people besides the clergy or those involved in missions is highly frowned upon. (Ex criminals are often found in the ranks of Vernichtung as a result) The New Gods of Azoria Vraska: The Goddess of Healing and Medicine, Vraska is worshiped in nearly all civilizations in the modern world, and her symbol – that of a branch of barsa leaves (an ingredient commonly used in healing potions) – can be found on many storefronts and medical facilities. Modern people pray to her not in a particular temple, but in the comfort of their homes or at the healer’s or apothecary’s place of business in order to provide healing or hasten the recovery process from injury or illness. Vraska has been said to visit those who are terminally ill, and carry them to Sorin Markov so that they may continue their journey. Cidolfus: The God of Machines and Technology, Cidolfus is heralded as the great inspiration-giver. When new inventions are presented, many will proclaim “praise Cidolfus,” rather than offer praise to the actual inventor. All technology is said to have spread from Cidolfus visiting brilliant people in their dreams, and giving them insight into how clockwork constructs operate and how to craft them. Cidolfus is worshiped in temples, usually at the command of their government, in order to provide encouragement and ideas to those who are charged with creating new projects. Sorin Markov: The God of Death, Transition, and Time, Sorin Markov is the conventional and modern idea of the life and death process. Once seen as leaving to another plane, those who worship Sorin Markov now view life and death as a fluid, unending journey; one which continues well after one has expired either on the battlefield, in their homes, or otherwise. Sorin meets with those who have died and shows them a new journey which they must complete, one that will take them away from the mortal perception, and continue in a parallel. Sorin Markov is worshiped in temples and sometimes at the bedside of the dying, in order to provide them with a peaceful transition to the next journey. Karn: The god of Adventure and Valiance, Karn is often referred to as the “Overseer” of journeymen. Those who depart from the safety of city walls are often bid a “May Karn watch over you,” so that the overseer will provide protection as they cross the wildlands. Karn is also said to give brave adventurers even greater reward in the afterlife, because he is the entity that shapes the continuing journey that Sorin Markov leads them on. Therefore, one’s valiance in battle and in adventure will lead them to even greater adventure in the beyond. Hahel: Pronounced “Hay-el,” Hahel is the God of the Void, and the bringer of the New Era. Hahel is shrouded in mystery and is often used as a scare tactic in some churches and governments, where the officials attempt to convince the masses of the impending next cataclysmic event. Because of the uncertainty and the overhanging threat of the end of civilization, Hahel is the God of the void – the void being everything unknown and beyond the realm of Azoria. There is no telling how Hahel will bring forth the next era, but many hypothesize that it’ll be another fireball from the skies. Some scholars warn that there isn’t much need to worry about the next cataclysm, but others continue to stress that everyone needs to be on their toes. Thus, Hahel, and the coming of the new age are great topics of debate to confuse entire populations and distract from important governmental issues. Resh Resh Alignment: Lawful Evil Favored Weapon: tentacle or whip Holy Symbol: A cracked quartz crystal Domains: Thirst, Earth, Chaos and Ocean Resh (a short blurb): One of the first converts of the undersea missions, a very powerful Wilder, was betrayed by his fellow aboleths and cast far away into the deep desert. The aboleth Resh was able to survive by taking over the surrounding peoples to build an empire and strike against its treacherous kin. The empire built up by Resh was so quick and strong that The Mother elevated Resh to godhood to better serve her needs. Clerical Training: Clerics are abused in their mind and body until they grow strong and submit to the will of the abuser. When that happens a full assault on their mind and body are done to test them. those who survive are trained in the clerical arts, the others are turned into mindless slaves to serve their betters. Everyday Following are the names of all eight elven gods. Only Scyrah knows what happened to the others, and she has refused to answer all questions on the topic. All are presumed dead or incapacitated, although the Nyss (winter elves) have kept the secret of the fate of the god of winter, Nyssor. Name Influence Lacyr Narcissar of Ages, former ruler of the gods Ossyris Incissar of Hours Ayisla Nis-Arsyr of Night Nyrro Arsyr of Day Scyrah Formerly Nis-Issyr of Spring, now Regent Narcissar Lurynsar Issyr of Summer Lyliss Nis-Scyir of Autumn Nyssor Scyir of Winter The elves have various gods many are gods known to humans by other names but are the same god. These are the best known. Senara goddess of life. Necara goddess of death. Sollus god of the sea the humans call him La’geon. Zena goddess of peace and friendship the humans call her Celest. Varic god of war and battle the humans call him Barak. Quintox King of the Forests, humans have not worhsiped Quinox in a long time chosing instead to only honour Kariyan the god of animals, but this changed during the Second Dragonite Invasion. This is the list of the lesser gods. Some have elven, dwarvern or halfling variants. Under Knowledge (Neutral, usually lawful) Talon the smith god. Edaru the scholar. Emms the craftress. Celer god of money and trade. Kiriel patron of bards. Under Light (Good) Mishaela goddess of love and purity. Senara giver of life. Celest the holy peace. Abel the healer. Amia goddess of charity, forgiveness, pity and mercy Under Darkness (Evil) Darius god of trechery, corruption and vice. Vesper Lady of the night, mists and illusion. Vax Vengeance anger and hatred. Allied to element fire. Tyrone god of liarsa and thieves. Vanelle goddess of seduction and poison. Cyrax son of Vax god of pain and torture. Syron and Serrim the twin moons of Tal. Under Wild (Chaotic Neutral) Quintox King of the forests. Archan god of the sun and water. The horsemaster. Sarish storm bringer, harbinger of disaster, allied to element earth. Kariyan the animal tamer. La’geon god of oceans and the sea. Element water. Denin god of the land and harvests. Patron of farmers. Soaril god of freedom and all birds, the windlord. Element air. Under Death (Lawful evil) Barak God of war. The slayer. (His more honourable aspect is Vardan the guard) Necara Goddess of death. Thell god of famine and pestilence. Xeth Tyranny Under Justice (Lawful good) Troy The sheild, god of stability, law and defence. Vardan the warrior see Barak. Pelinor god of perfection, cleanliness, exactness called The Oath Keeper. Panion god of honour, loyalty and courage. Asmara goddess of faith. Chaos has no gods under him or created by him. He represents true chaos not just in opposition to law but as in opposition to any structure or balance whatsoever. All gods access magic and as such there is no designated god of magic. Knowledge understands the flow of magical power the best however. The gods live on the planes but these lesser gods live in their places of power within the six planes of the Avatars themeselves. Demi gods live in the material plane only. The dwarves have various gods many are gods known to humans by other names but are the same god. These are the best known. Varkas the warrior also known by humans as Barak or Vardan. Harrun The healer called by the humans Abel. Sveth The thief. Talon The Master Smith forger of the world. Emms The craftress (Emms is a dwarven god who has become very popular in human lands and they have long since forgotten the human side to here worshiped of old.)